Last year, it seemed that Acapulco was the place to be for Spring Break. Many students returned from Spring Break 2005 claiming they had “danced with the devil.” Others, who spent a crazy week together in sunny Mexico, returned with suntans, souvenirs, and stories that resembled something out of “Girls Gone Wild.”

But now that Acapulco is over and done with, where are the hot spots to go for Spring Break this year?

It seems that Quinnipiac students are headed just about everywhere from the typical beach-filled getaways to less traditional community service oriented trips.

For those opting for fun in the sun, it appears that staying in the United States is an acceptable option.

Kristy Varvaro, a freshman elementary education student, will be spending Spring Break at her vacation home in Hilton Head, S.C.

“My ideal Spring Break consists of relaxation, a couple of drinks, and a good tan,” Varvaro said.

For students looking to get away with a large group, there’s the “buy your mom and dad’s timeshare” plan. That’s what Danielle Mastronardi, a junior Public Relations major, and 15 of her closest friends are doing. They’re headed to Orlando, Fla., for a week with Mickey, Minnie, Donald and Pluto.

“Two of my friends that I’m going on Spring Break with have timeshares at the same resort, so we got a great place to stay for the week for basically nothing,” Mastronardi said. “All we really had to worry about was our plane ticket, park passes and food.”

But while Mastronardi and company are conquering Splash Mountain and Pleasure Island, others will be headed to spend time with our somewhat chillier friend to the north: Canada.

Michael Bosnack, an enthusiastic sophomore criminal justice major, will be vacationing in Montreal.

“The girls there are so hot,” Bosnack said.

Nicole Laurel, a sophomore public relations major, is also headed to Canada for very different reasons.

“I’m going to Saskatchewan because my boyfriend lives there,” Laurel said. “The ideal Spring Break to me is having fun with the people that matter and letting go of your problems. I’m spending about $1,000 including airfare, drinks, food, gas money, and snowmobile rentals. I think my lessons to drive a tractor on his farm are free, though!”

Some students are forgoing a suntan in favor of heading to more international locations.

One junior, Lauren Breuning, a public relations major, is headed abroad to Paris and Vienna.

“I’ve always wanted to go to Paris and see another part of the world. The ideal Spring Break is one when you’re somewhere that makes you happy and gives you a break from real life. That’s why I chose Europe because, to me, that’s not real life, it’s just an amazing vacation,” Breuning said.

If lounging by a pool and forgetting about life’s daily problems are the “it” things to do for Spring Break then Ben Oser, a senior Marketing major, is breaking the mold.

He is traveling with a group of Quinnipiac students on an “Alternative Spring Break” trip to Louisiana where he will help with the Hurricane Katrina relief effort.

“I decided to go because I’ve had all the experiences of a ‘Girls Gone Wild’ break and a relaxing resort-oriented one,” Oser said. “I figured this would be a once in a lifetime opportunity.”

Not all students will be spending their Spring Breaks away from home, however. Krystal Barrera, a freshman Spanish major, will be spending her time off working.

“I have to work for my sister at a liquor store so that she can go away for Spring Break,” Barrera said. “She’s going to train me to do her job so I can fill in for her while she’s off having fun. I’ll probably go away next year though, after I’ve had time to work and make some money.”

Some freshmen are experiencing the “you’re to young to go away” issue from parents.

Nicole Solera, a freshman political science major, is one such student.

“My parents seem to think that going away for Spring Break is something that ‘older kids’ get to do, so they wouldn’t pay for me to go,” Solera said. “It seems like most people my age who are going away are going because they have timeshares or know someone else who has one. I don’t have a timeshare and none of my friends do either so I’ll be staying home. I feel kind of left out.”

Whether they are in a tropical location or in their own backyards, it’s clear that the spring vacation will be anything but a “break” for Quinnipiac students.